Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for French

Technology has become a significant part of our lives, transforming how we live in numerous ways. We can now send messages quickly, cook meals in minutes using a microwave, and purchase tickets online instead of traveling to a physical location. Modern life has become more convenient. We use the internet to communicate with people worldwide, conduct business, make new friends, learn about different cultures, search for information, and study.

The internet offers a vast amount of information on virtually every topic. Numerous websites cover diverse subjects, making information readily accessible. Students can save time searching for information online and use that time for other tasks. This is particularly beneficial for students who can use... Continue reading "The Impact of Technology and Internet on Modern Life" »

Environmental Responsibility and Action

In recent years, people have become increasingly aware of the problems we are causing to the environment. These environmental issues are harming our planet and, consequently, are detrimental to our health. While governments in the richest countries are approving laws to combat pollution, we, as individuals, can also contribute significantly by changing many aspects of our daily lives.

Individual Contributions to a Greener Planet

There are several practical steps we can take to reduce our environmental footprint:

• Recycling: By simply classifying our waste into paper, plastic, and glass bins, we avoid the use of new materials and the continuous exploitation of natural resources. This also helps to save our

Recettes Simples

Recette : Sandwich

1. Tartinez une tranche de pain avec un peu de beurre.
2. Ajoutez du jambon de York et de la laitue lavée.
3. Lavez une tomate, coupez-la en tranches et ajoutez-les au sandwich.
4. Tartinez l'autre tranche de pain avec un peu de mayonnaise.
5. Fermez le sandwich avec la deuxième tranche de pain et voilà !

Bon appétit !

Recette : Salade Composée

1. Lavez la laitue et la tomate, puis coupez-les.
2. Ajoutez ensuite le thon et les cornichons.
3. Ajoutez une pincée de sel, un peu d'huile et du vinaigre.
4. Mélangez bien tous les ingrédients dans un saladier.

Bon appétit !

Vocabulaire Alimentaire

• Boissons :
• eau : water
• vin : wine
• bière : beer
• thé : tea
• jus : juice
• cidre : cider
• Boulangerie & Pâtisserie :
• pain : bread
• baguette : baguette
• gâteau :

Simple Past Tense: Regular and Irregular Verbs

Forming Simple Past Sentences

• Affirmative: Subject + verb (past form) + complement
• Negative: Subject + auxiliary (did) + not + verb (base form) + complement
• Interrogative: Auxiliary (Did) + subject + verb (base form) + complement?

Simple Past Examples

• I bought a pair of shoes yesterday.
• I didn't buy a pair of shoes yesterday.
• Did I buy a pair of shoes yesterday?

Practice Exercises: Simple Past

1. A: Did you go fishing last weekend?

   B: No, but I went swimming.

2. Yesterday, Ron found a cat on the street and took it home.
3. Yesterday, the school basketball team played against Northbridge. There were a lot of people at the game.
4. Dennis was in Barcelona last weekend and he visited many places.

Modal Verb "Would"

Understanding

Understanding Grammar in Language Teaching

Grammar is often misunderstood in the language teaching field. Instead of viewing grammar as a static system of arbitrary rules, it should be seen as a rational, dynamic system comprised of structures characterized by the three dimensions of form and use.

Myths About Grammar

Grammar is acquired naturally; it need not be taught.

It is true that some learners acquire second language grammar naturally without instruction. For example, there are immigrants to the United States who acquire proficiency in English on their own. Chomsky showed that native English speakers were still in the process of acquiring certain grammatical structures in English well into adolescence.

Grammar is boring.

This myth is derived... Continue reading "Understanding Grammar in Language Teaching: Key Concepts" »

Vocabulary: Places and People in the City (En Ville)

City Locations and Shops

• La pharmacie: The pharmacy
• La banque: The bank
• Le supermarché: The supermarket
• Le bureau de poste: The post office / Mail
• Le jardin public: The public garden
• Un immeuble: A building / Apartment block
• La boulangerie-pâtisserie: The bakery-pastry shop
• La boucherie-charcuterie: The butcher shop
• La poissonnerie: The fishmonger's shop
• Le bureau de tabac: The tobacconist's shop
• Le bus: The bus

Professions and People

• Le jardinier: The gardener
• Le facteur: The postman
• La caissière: The cashier
• L'employé(e) de banque: The bank employee
• Le médecin: The doctor
• L'infirmier / L'infirmière: The nurse
• Le buraliste: The tobacconist (person)
• Le poissonnier: The fishmonger (person)
• Le boucher-charcutier:

Topic 3: Travel and Adventure

Literary Devices and Language Registers

Figures of Speech: Definitions and Examples

• Simile (Comparison)

  The comparison of two distinct elements based on a shared feature, often using connecting words like "as" or "like."

  Example: His life was as short as one minute.

• Metaphor

  The replacement of one element (noun) with another by virtue of their shared properties, implying a direct equivalence.

  Example: His life was one minute.

• Extended Metaphor (Image)

  A metaphor that is sustained or developed across two or more lines or throughout a passage.

  Example: His life was blessed one minute
  Among so many dead hours.

• Anaphora

  The repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive verses or similar clauses.

• Antithesis (Contrast)

  The juxtaposition of two contrasting

Mastering Reported Speech

Tense Changes in Reported Speech

• Present Simple --- Past Simple (did, -ed, saw,...)
• Present Continuous --- Past Continuous (was/were +ing)
• Past Simple --- Past Perfect Simple (had studied)
• Present Perfect Simple (have seen) --- Past Perfect Simple
• Will --- Would
• Can --- Could
• May --- Might
• Must / Have to --- Had to

Word Changes in Reported Speech

• Now --- Then
• Today --- That day
• Yesterday --- The day before
• Tonight --- That night
• Tomorrow --- The next day
• Two months ago --- Two months before
• Last week --- The previous week
• Next year --- The following year

Reported Statements

Subject + reporting verb + (that) + subject + verb

He said (that) he was planning to take a gap year after university.

Reported Questions (Yes/No Questions)

Subject +... Continue reading "Mastering Reported Speech and Travel Vocabulary" »

Geography Quiz Challenge

Mike: Here's a geography quiz in the paper.

Wendy: Oh, I love geography! Ask me the questions.

Mike: Sure. First question: Which country is larger, China or Canada?

Wendy: I know! Canada is larger than China.

Mike: Okay, next. What's the longest river in the Americas?

Wendy: Hmm, I think it's the Mississippi.

Mike: Here's a hard one. Which country is more crowded, Monaco or Singapore?

Wendy: I'm not sure. I think Monaco is more crowded.

Mike: Okay, one more. Which South American capital city is the highest: La Paz, Quito, or Bogotá?

Wendy: Oh, that's easy. Bogotá is the highest.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

1. Adding -er and -est to Short Adjectives

For short adjectives (one or sometimes two syllables), add -er for the... Continue reading "Geography Quiz Challenge: Test Your Knowledge" »